DISCLAIMER: I don't own Fringe...
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"I've said Peter only sees what he wants to see in people. And that he got it from his mother," Walter Bishop started. "But in fact I think he sees everything."
Astrid looked up from the computer to watch Walter as he continued to jot down notes.
"He knows, somehow," Walter didn't look up. "He knows things. Not just what would happen if the pituitary gland was damaged when we try to connect consciousness, but… it's almost as though he knows the truth of things."
Olivia stopped pacing and stared at Walter.
"There used to be a time when Peter would astound people when he spoke. Not that he doesn't now, but on a broader scale," Walter gestured his arms wide. "He would say things, do things and people would stop and pay attention to him."
Walter finally removed his gaze from his notepad to the wall in front of him.
"Peter is smarter than everyone you or I have met. And then, the past I mean, people knew he was a genius. They knew he was special, gifted.
"But along the way he covered himself up. Metaphorically speaking, Peter usually is wearing clothes…
"Now when people meet him they aren't amazed by him. He says things but we don't believe him. We tell him he's not seeing everything, that he's not putting the facts together, that he's limited his mind and doesn't believe things because he doesn't want to. But in fact, we are the ones not seeing everything, not putting all the facts together. In the end, Peter is usually correct.
"He tries to show us he thinks only of himself, and sometimes it's true. He got that from me. But what he didn't get from me or his mother, genetically because he most likely got it because of us, is that he doesn't care what happens to him if there are other people at stake. His past clearly backs up the assumption that he can up and leave at anytime most beneficial to him."
Walter paused, swallowing hard, "I should say his adult past. His childhood past tells a whole different story."
Both Olivia and Astrid stood transfixed, listening. The dark tone Walter Bishop's voice had taken made them involuntarily shudder.
"But he clearly values everybody above himself," Walter stumbled slightly, "almost everyone. He cares about people. Something again he did not get from me. But logically, rationally Peter makes the hard decisions. The ones that ultimately causes him to have nightmares for weeks. Leaving people, letting people die, killing people, letting himself be tortured."
Another tremble in Walter's voice stopped him briefly,
"I don't know if either of you have ever truly seen Peter 'fly off the handle' but I have. He didn't know I had followed him. It was…terrifying. Never before had I seen such anger, hatred, repulsion on his face. Other than when he finds out what about what I did…"
Walter attempts a smile but fails, blinking his eyes rapidly, "The violent tendencies Peter's shown couldn't compare."
Walter shook his head before turning to Olivia and Astrid.
"Peter is unstable."
Olivia opened her mouth in argument but was cut off by Walter,
"I mean as a, an experiment. A test subject," Walter said as he hung his head in shame.
"His childhood past is more troublesome then his adult. And soon it will start to… show, for lack of a better term."
A pregnant pause before,
"You mean Peter," Olivia emphasized his name before continuing, "is going to…what exactly?"
Astrid's eyes widened, "Do you mean Peter could face ramifications from the experiments?"
A nod from Walter and both agents drew in sharp breaths of air.
"Many things can happen to Peter," Walter said unhappily. "My experiments, the side effects could multiply or intermingle creating new side effects."
Astrid sat down heavily before closing her eyes. Olivia stared at Walter, mouth hung open. Soon she snapped it shut and began to quiver with anger.
"So you're saying," Olivia spoke menacingly, "that you don't know when and what is going to happen to Peter because of your experiments on him as a child!"
Walter looked at Olivia expressionlessly before shaking his head, "And given the environment he is now a part of." He added the next almost as though he was speaking to himself, "No, I don't know what."
Astrid opened her eyes horrified. Olivia, she could see from the corner of her eye was outraged.
"But you know when," Olivia shrieked.
"Sometime soon, if not already," Walter said resignedly.
Olivia stood gaping at Walter for minutes before slowly making her way to the couch and sitting. An unusually quiet Walter Bishop turned back to his notes. Another few silent minutes pass before Astrid asks meekly,
"Does he know?"
A/N: This came to me after "Bad Dreams" but is not in any way a continuation. It actually could take place weeks, months, years after this episode. Let me know how I did! :)